Sunday, August 16, 2009

Tragic Sukhoi Collision Kicks Off MAKS-2009

Two Sukhoi-27s of the Russian fighter display team, the Russkiye Vityazi, collided today during a practice session. According to news agencies, the pilot of the lead aircraft of the formation was killed after his he ejected from his doomed jet -- it apparently spun out of control and went down after the collision. Two other pilots who ejected survived. I took these photos at a performance of the same display team at MAKS-2007. Still trying to ascertain if the lead pilot who went down was the same one I met and interviewed two years ago Zhukovsky -- the agencies haven't named him yet. RIP.

The pilot who lost his life was Col Igor Tkachenko; reports suggest he was found next to his ejection seat and parachute near the Russian village of Zakharikha.

The other two pilots who ejected safely were Col Vitaliy Melnik and Col Igor Kurilenko. It seems that the latter may have landed on a tree and injured his spine. This was his 2nd ejection (1st was in 2006).

Reports suggest there may have some injuries on the ground also (????)

only in russia and cis do airshows routinely cause widespread devastation

crap planes, btw. Even the SU-35BM, according to the Russians in their own language, do not match up to F-15Es of the first Gulf War.

>>>1) Russian aircraft industry is stuck with Flanker and Fulcrum airframes and their derivatives 2) Upgrades on existing aircraft are done with delays if not done at all: A-G mode was implemented in Flanker radars only a couple of years ago while any USAF aircaft - Viper, Mudhem, Hornet had it since nobody knows when. I have posted videos of SU-25SM conducting CAS by launching FFARs over Georgia last summer. This is not because Russians are sparing guided munitions and targeting pods, this is caused by huge lack of those devices in their Air Force, that why Russian Air Force failed to establish air superiority and effective air support over Georgia last year. Can you find any video showing russian aircraft delivering laser guided bombs or something like that? You cannot. 3) Russian aircraft industry never cared of their production RCS, they have no experience in this area, that's why creating stealth aircraft is reasonably difficult for them. 4) Russian aircraft industry still cannot get their AESA radars going, sticking with PESA instead 5) Nothing is known about airborne command and control systems, datalinks etc.

All we can see so far is just a 1960-1970s styled warfare that Russian military is fighting. Cause in 1980s lot's of above mentioned things were already implemented in USAF, IAF and other NATO airforces.>>>

"I read russian aviation forums as well, and must say they just filled with scepticism considering Sukhoi products. All more or less understanding people admit that Lockheed Martin and U.S. aircraft industry made a huge jump ahead while Pogosian (Chairman of Sukhoi Corporation) was making easy money selling moded (with improrted quipment like french Thales MFD's) variations of SU-27 Flanker to India and Venezuela.

The result of this business is quite sad for them, especially for the Russian Air Force. During 8 years of extremely high budget incomes (due to cosmic oil prices) they managed to equip only 2 (two) regiments with Su-27 SM modernizations (though this is an old Su-35 version in fact, by no means a promoted Su-35 BM.) This appears to be something of 48-50 fighters if not less, compared to polish fleet of state-of-the-art F-16C Block 52 Plus Vipers.

Developments of SU-35BM and future PAK-FA go with extreme slipping. Three test Su-35BM's were manufactured so far, and one was burned due to engine fire. AESAs still cannot be put into serial production because of constant technical problems, taking into consideration that these are gonna be quite "weak" radars if we try to compare them with APG-77(V1) or APG-81.

And the most doring is that Russian Air Force is running out of A-A missiles. They have been using huge Soviet storages for 18 years, but themselves they could not produce any A-A missiles now, cause all constructing facilities were left and spread all over the former USSR territory (like Yuzhmash Bureau in Ukraine). Though their plants offer such stuff as RVV-AE for export in their brochures.

So, there is no competition between SU-35, any other Flanker derivative and real fifth generation fighters - F-22A Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. It is just impossible.

P. S. The most shocking phrase, some of the sceptic russian military experts said was "the development of Su-35 did not manage to reach the level of avionics, targeting, radar and weapon systems that U. S. F-15E Strike Eagle had during the Gulf War in 1991.".

I do not agree Vicent's comments - and instead of pasting from other forums perhaps Vincent should give his own 2 cents.

The Su-27 and its derivatives - Su 30, 33, 35 etc. are certainly not 'crap' planes. These are the planes most feared by the USAF (United States Air Force)- and with good reason - especially since China (a potential opponent in the next decade) is inducting enormous numbers of these highly capable aircraft.

Most analysts agree that the Su-30, 35 etc. are superior (by a little) to anything currently in the USAF inventory - including the F-15 and F/A- 18. You cannot compare the Su-30 series with the F-22 since the F-22 is the only operational 5th generation fighter. Wait a while for the Russians to come up with their own 5th generation fighter.

Coming back to the tragic accident - these things happen in every country and with every type of airplane - and is generally a consequence of human error (not atypical in such inherently dangerous acrobatic flying) rather than a reflection of the state of the aircraft per se.

Even the SU-35BM, according to the Russians in their own language, do not match up to F-15Es of the first Gulf War.

Incorrect. The Su-35BM Flanker-E will be the best Generation 4.5 fighter. Even its Sukhoi manufacturer gives it a '4++' classification because it is equipped with Gen 5 fighter avionics. It will be the final Flanker incarnation and also, it is already being marketed to potential customers. Want the best Flankers around for your air force?

Nothing is known about airborne command and control systems, datalinks etc.

On the contrary, Russia possesses JTIDS-type and Link 16 type jam-resistant datalinks, and they are learning how to use them.

Upgrades on existing aircraft are done with delays if not done at all: A-G mode was implemented in Flanker radars only a couple of years ago while any USAF aircaft - Viper, Mudhem, Hornet had it since nobody knows when. I have posted videos of SU-25SM conducting CAS by launching FFARs over Georgia last summer. This is not because Russians are sparing guided munitions and targeting pods, this is caused by huge lack of those devices in their Air Force, that why Russian Air Force failed to establish air superiority and effective air support over Georgia last year. Can you find any video showing russian aircraft delivering laser guided bombs or something like that? You cannot.

Partly correct. The Russian VVS did manage to readily gain air superiority with Su-27 Flankers and MiG-29 Fulcrums, but found the Georgian air defenses a nuisance.

Developments of Su-35BM and future PAK-FA go with extreme slipping. Three test Su-35BM's were manufactured so far, and one was burned due to engine fire. AESAs still cannot be put into serial production because of constant technical problems, taking into consideration that these are gonna be quite "weak" radars if we try to compare them with APG-77(V1) or APG-81.

And the most boring thing is that Russian Air Force is running out of A-A missiles. They have been using huge Soviet storages for 18 years, but themselves they could not produce any A-A missiles now, cause all constructing facilities were left and spread all over the former USSR territory (like Yuzhmash Bureau in Ukraine). Though their plants offer such stuff as RVV-AE for export in their brochures.

That leaves the Raptor the dominant air superiority fighter until the PAK FA reaches IOC, though the Su-35BM can pose a threat to the Raptor.

The Su-27 and its derivatives - Su 30, 33, 35 etc. are certainly not 'crap' planes. These are the planes most feared by the USAF (United States Air Force)- and with good reason - especially since China (a potential opponent in the next decade) is inducting enormous numbers of these highly capable aircraft.

Of course, and that is why the USAF is dependent on the Raptor because it is the only Western fighter in the world (apart from the Eurocanards) that can successfully defeat Flanker variants in A2A combat and hold some ground against the upcoming PAK FA. In sufficient numbers, it would gain air superiority and survive attrition.

Antony, at this point of time you seem destined for my recommendation for MIT as well. Your points are all assertions and no proof, while my text and evidence come actually from a RUSSIAN forum who themselves are Russians worried about the second or third rate Russian research and equipment.

You truly are a good East India Company sepoy, defending the indefensible from abroad. Keep wagging your head until the next conflict, when I can lick the sweet taste of shocked grief from your face.

Su-35BM the best 4th gen? The Eurofighter Tranche 3, among others, will crap all over it.

PILOT ERROR ! nothing to do with quality of the airplane.the cause of the accident:the Sukhoi TRAINER fighter bumped with the canopy into the Sukhoi Single fighter's belly destroying the engine inlets with debris resulting in a fire in the engine(s).the impact of the two Sukhoi's was severe and alas the fire destroyed the parachute of the Sukhoi Single fighter's pilot.landingspeed too high and damage to the spine was the result so the pilot died in the hard landing unfortunately.